


Amethyst Saga 2: Blood and Tears

by marysiak



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-16
Updated: 2015-10-16
Packaged: 2020-07-30 11:27:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20096506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marysiak/pseuds/marysiak
Summary: Sequel to Labyrinth II: The Amethyst Saga, crossover with Anne Rice's Vampire books.





	Amethyst Saga 2: Blood and Tears

**Author's Note:**

> Note from banshee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Underground](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Underground_\(Labyrinth_archive\)) and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2019. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Underground’s collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/underground/profile).

All vampires are property of Anne Rice and Random House. The idea behind  
the Labyrinth and the character of Jareth belong to Henson Productions  
Inc. Prince Arutha and the land of Midkemia are creations of Raymond E  
Feist. Amethyst and this story belong to me. This story contains some  
themes of violence and sex please do not read it if you are under 16.  
  
  
The Amethyst Saga by Amethyst  
Blood and Tears  
  
  
It had been a week since Amethyst had entered the Labyrinth and she  
could count the number of times she had seen Jareth on one hand. "I  
have business to attend to Amethyst." "I must meet with the elves  
Amethyst." "I need to read over these papers Amethyst." "Perhaps later  
Amethyst." "I'll be finished soon Amethyst."  
  
She had just been politely turned away again by Ander at the door to  
Jareth's study. In a fury she pushed past him and kicked the door as  
hard as she could. "I hope the peasants revolt!" she screamed at the  
door in frustration. "Maybe if you get overthrown and we both end up in  
a dungeon somewhere I might see more of you!" She kicked the door again  
for good measure and began stamping down the hallway. Behind her she  
heard the door open. She turned around to see Jareth leaning against the  
frame of the door with an amused look on his face.  
  
"Did you want to see me?"  
  
She glowered at him. "No!" She turned away and resumed her journey  
back to her rooms only to find him standing in front of her. She stopped  
and folded her arms across her chest looking at him expectantly.  
  
He gave a mental sigh, she wasn't going to make this easy and he  
supposed she had a point. He had been neglecting her, especially as she  
had only just arrived. But he wasn't used to having to make time for  
other people in his life and his schedule certainly wasn't ready for it  
either. He would have to rearrange the people under him so he could  
delegate more. But for now he better pacify her before she hurt someone.  
"I must apologise to you, for neglecting you so."  
  
She continued to stare at him, he was going to have to do better than  
that. Or that was what he assumed she was thinking. In fact she was  
wondering how long she ought to hold out with this act to prove she was  
annoyed with him before she could throw herself into his arms and  
persuade him to take the rest of the evening off.  
  
"I do have a surprise for you though."  
  
She tilted her head in question rather than speak to ask what it was.  
  
"Tomorrow night we shall hold a grand ball, just for you."  
  
Big deal, she thought, can we go to bed now? But instead she smiled and  
said, "I'm sure it will be wonderful." She moved closer to him, slipping  
her arms about his waist and tipping her face up. Hoping to bring an end to  
the argument he kissed her, her passion surprised him considering how  
annoyed she had seemed at him only moments before. She broke away from the  
deepening kiss and pulled him back into his study.  
  
"Do you realise that that's the first time I've kissed you since the  
ballroom?" she asked pointedly. "You were doing really well, what happened  
to the whole ravishing the fair maiden side of this?"  
  
Jareth frowned. "The maidens aren't, strictly speaking, supposed to  
demand ravishment," he noted. "In fact it's suppopsed to be, if I recall,  
quite the opposite."  
  
"Yes, well," she actually blushed. "Well!" she demanded. "Playing  
hard to get is all very well and good but it's rather hard to run when  
nobody's chasing you and... it's not fair!"  
  
"What's not fair?"  
  
"Well it was my first time and I can hardly remember it, it keeps  
fading away and I can't seem to keep hold of it!"  
  
"Ah, that would be the effect of the magic. Strictly speaking it  
wasn't real."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"It was an illusion, all in your mind... and mine of course."  
  
"You mean..." she looked stricken. "We haven't?"  
  
"No." He went over to an armchair and sat down casually. He found  
himself alternately amused at the novelty of talking to someone like this  
and annoyed by his amusement over what ought to be serious. Could he not  
stop manipulating life and toying with people even now? No, he thought, I  
can't. It is who I am.  
  
"Oh," she said. Left standing alone and rather dejected by the desk.  
  
He allowed his eyes to wander over her form, he had made sure she was  
supplied with suitable clothing to wear in the palace though she would  
insist on not wearing shoes inside. However right now she was wearing a  
loose white shirt that hung down to just above her knees, and looked rather  
as if it might be his, and a pair of white ankle socks and that was about  
it. "Why are you wandering around my castle half-dressed?" he asked  
smoothly as he ran his eyes up her legs.  
  
Brought out of her upset for a moment she looked down at herself and  
answered defensively. "Well there's nothing sensible to wear. No jeans, no  
short skirts. Just those bloody huge dresses which are all very well when  
you feel like it but it's hardly every day wear. So I... " she realised she  
had walked into this. "...sort of got this from your wardrobe," she  
finished lamely.  
  
"In my room," he added firmly.  
  
"Uh... yes," she confirmed guiltily.  
  
"I see. So what else did you do. Go through my underwear?"  
  
She went bright red. "No! Of course not."  
  
"Of course not. I think that you better come over here," he said.  
There was a worrying gleam in his eye. She went over and stood in front of  
him nervously. Suddenly she remembered her thoughts from a week ago,  
wandering through the Labyrinth. 'How much did she really know about him?'  
  
But at the same time she burned for him to touch her.  
  
He leant back and simply stared at her from under hooded, thoughtful  
eyes. Her eyes met his for a moment then darted nervously, she couldn't  
tell what he was thinking. All he had to do to reduce her to this was to be  
enigmatically threatening, he realised. She has no idea what to think, he  
studied her further. She knows she should be afraid and she is but... his  
eyes slid over the shape of her body watching the imperceptible movement of  
her muscles, the faint shape of hard nipples under rough white cotton. He  
caught her eyes again and the pupils were huge and black, her breathing  
shallow and hopeful. The silence had become palpable, in a moment she would  
either break down or run away, unable to cope with the tension.  
  
How delicious.  
  
He stood up so fast she nearly cried out in shock, but he was gripping  
her chin before she could do more than gasp. There was barely more than an  
inch between their bodies.  
  
"We had better find you some more clothes then," he said in a  
conversational tone. As if he were not holding her up on her tiptoes by one  
hand under her chin. He stroked her cheek with the other hand, drinking in  
her startled expression. "But tonight it is already late. Goodnight." He  
walked away leaving her off balance and sat back down at his desk. "I shall  
see you tomorrow before the ball."  
  
"But..."  
  
She stood there a moment but there was no doubt she had been dismissed  
from his presence. She turned and left the room before tears appeared and  
tried to walk with as much dignity as she could back to her rooms.  
  
\-------------------  
  
Two maids assisted Amethyst in dressing for the ball. She was going  
to wear purple, in fitting with her name. A rich, deep purple gown with  
fine gold embroidery across the bodice and a full skirt and more under  
wear than she thought possible. She was likely to die of heat exhaustion  
or faint from the tightness of the lacing before she even reached the  
ball. I mean really, wasn't she slim enough already? She felt like a  
painted child's doll by the time she was done, 'Fantasy Ball Barbie',  
dripping with amethysts. But despite her protestations this was what she  
had to wear, this was what she was expected to look like.  
  
She was escorted to a small chamber where Jareth waited for her, a  
vision in black velvet embroidered with glittering black beads. When he had  
said he would see her before the ball she had thought he meant a little  
more before than this, through the closed doorway she could hear music. Her  
cheeks burned under the makeup as she remembered the humiliating scene from  
the night before. He took her arm and with a gesture the music stopped and  
a fanfare announced their entrance as the door swung open.  
  
To the side of the door a man proclaimed loudly, "His Highness, King  
Jareth, Ruler of the Labyrinth, and the Lady Amethyst."  
  
The crowd applauded politely as Jareth led her down a flight of  
stairs to a raised platform on which sat two chairs. He set her down on  
the simpler one and seated himself in the more elaborate 'throne'. At  
once lines began to form at the base of the steps leading up to the  
platform and various Lords and Ladies and the other 'Rulers' of nearby  
realms began to file up to meet and greet them. Amethyst vowed to  
disembowel Jareth with the heavy necklace that was cutting into the back  
of her neck for this, some party. She put on what she hoped was a  
pleasant face as opposed to an annoyed rictus of a smile and set about  
the task of making small talk with every person of importance in the  
room, and it was a big room, and she _hated_ small talk. She wondered if  
it was too late to change her mind about this whole Labyrinth business.  
  
"So glad to meet you."  
  
"Likewise I'm sure." ...not.  
  
"Such a beautiful dress."  
  
"Thank you." ...pity I can't breath.  
  
"Earth is such a darling place."  
  
"Isn't it though." ...wish I was there.  
  
"Where did you get that necklace?"  
  
"It's from Lord Jareth." ...may he die in hideous agony.  
  
As she carried on with the conversations she noticed a man leaning  
against a fluted column. He was incredibly beautiful with long blonde  
hair and piercing eyes. The quote, "Stop the press, who's that?" from  
Batman came to mind. He simply stood and stared right at her and she  
noticed that when she thought of an especially amusing or cutting comment  
to make to herself he would smile. Eventually she came to the conclusion  
that he had to be reading her mind. Annoyed she thought specifically at  
him, 'You might at least have the courtesy to introduce yourself before  
you start snooping around in my thoughts!'  
  
He smiled and nodded his head at her then began to make his way  
across the dance floor. When he reached the base of the platform he  
simply stood there waiting. Intrigued, Amethyst made her apologies and  
descended the steps to the strangers side. Jareth barely noticed her  
leave, so enthralled was he in his political discussions with someone or  
other. The stranger took her hand and bowed down, kissing it.  
  
"Lestat de Lioncourt at your service my Lady Amethyst."  
  
Amethyst had to fight to keep her jaw from dropping in amazement and  
it suddenly became even harder than before to breath. Keeping her outward  
composure intact she asked, "Is Louis not with you tonight?"  
  
Lestat smiled at her recognition of who and thus what he was. "He is  
too busy dancing with Jesse to pay any attention to me," he said in  
mock sorrow. "I have been deserted, as have you." He gestured to Jareth.  
"Why don't we go somewhere more peaceful and... lick our wounds?"  
  
Amethyst looked up at Jareth, he still hadn't noticed she was gone.  
"Sounds perfectly lovely." She took Lestat's arm and allowed him to lead  
her out into the dark gardens. Jareth wouldn't notice till my body was  
found rotting in the vegetation, she humphed to herself. Though I do  
hope it doesn't come to that just to get his attention.  
  
"Don't worry my dear, I'm not quite ready to face down Jareth yet.  
I'm too fond of his hospitality. But that doesn't mean I'm not willing  
to bend the rules just a little." He smiled that patented evil grin.  
"Besides I've already fed tonight."  
  
She smiled back. "I could tell," she said running a hand over his and  
feeling the warmth that human blood had given to him. They found a bench  
in a quiet spot and sat down.  
  
  
Louis and Jesse finished their dance and went to introduce them-  
selves to Jareth now that the rush had slowed somewhat, Lestat was  
nowhere to be seen but that was no surprise. Probably off seducing some  
unsuspecting mortal.  
  
'Lady Amethyst seems to have gone,' Louis noted mentally to Jesse.  
'It's a pity, I was looking forward to meeting her.'  
  
They approached Jareth leaving heads turning in their wake, stunned  
at their preternatural beauty and grace.  
  
"Louis!" exclaimed Jareth. "It is good to see you again, but where is  
Monsieur de Lioncourt? And who is this beautiful creature?"  
  
"Jareth, this is Jessica Reeves. A new fledgling of Maharet's. Lestat  
seems to have gone temporarily missing."  
  
Jareth bent over Jesse's hand, "Delighted to meet you." He  
straightened again, "I must introduce you to..." He stopped as he  
finally noticed Amethyst's empty chair. He glanced around for her but  
she was nowhere to be seen. He frowned, "How long has Lestat been  
missing?"  
  
"I don't know... but I'm sure he wouldn't..." He looked at Jesse  
with a worried expression and she immediately began to scan for Lestat.  
  
"Oh dear," she said.  
  
  
In the garden Lestat and Amethyst leant closer as they laughed at  
some remark he had made.  
  
"Why don't you let me take this necklace off, it must be dreadfully  
heavy." He ran a finger down her neck.  
  
"Please do." She turned her back to him so he could see the clasp.  
  
He pressed closer against her back and she could feel his warm breath  
on her skin as he undid the necklace and let it drop into her lap. His  
hands went around her waist and up to cup her breasts as he moved closer  
still and his lips touched her neck. His tongue flicking out to taste  
her pulse. She ran her hand up to tangle in his hair and press his mouth  
against the vein.  
  
"Please," she whispered.  
  
He opened his mouth and sank his teeth into her pale white neck. She  
moaned as he sucked her blood into his mouth, a single drop running down  
to her cleavage.  
  
Then in a flash they were ripped apart. She cried out in pain as  
Lestat's sharp teeth tore open her neck when he was thrown back. Blood  
poured down her front and she clasped her hand to the wound as she fell  
to the ground.  
  
Jareth stood over Lestat in a towering rage. "How dare you do this!"  
he shouted. But before he could say anything further Louis spun him  
around to where he could see Amethyst.  
  
"Save your arguments for later or there will be no-one left to argue  
over," he said gesturing to Amethyst who lay supported by Jesse in a  
growing pool of blood.  
  
"Oh for God's sake Louis!" exclaimed Lestat getting to his feet. "So  
dramatic." He knelt by Amethyst's side and slit his wrist open, allowing  
the blood to drip onto her wound. In a few seconds the blood flow had  
stopped and the wound was closing. Lestat shook his head at the sight,  
"What a waste of good blood." He bent to lick some of it from her skin  
but was hauled away by Jareth and thrown against a nearby wall.  
  
"Your actions could have caused her death! I will not, cannot, let  
that go unpunished."  
  
"You pompous fool!" spat Lestat straightening his clothes. "She was  
in no danger until you interfered. I was only taking a little and it  
wasn't exactly against her will you know."  
  
Louis hurried to Lestat's side. "Don't antagonise him," he hissed.  
  
Lestat pulled away from him. "Don't tell me what to do!"  
  
Jareth looked as if he couldn't get any angrier. "Get out! Get out of  
my sight and out of my land and don't ever come back!"  
  
Amethyst struggled to her feet with Jesse's help. "Hold it right  
there." She swayed a moment, dizzy from lack of blood. "If you're going  
to throw him out you may as well throw me out too, after all I asked him  
to do it." She walked right up to Jareth till she was only inches away,  
"I *wanted* him to do it."  
  
Jareth turned purple.  
  
"And it serves you bloody right!" She wobbled over to Lestat's side  
and he caught her before she fell. "God's sake, will someone unlace this  
damn dress and let me breathe before I pass out."  
  
Louis moved to loosen the laces of her bodice while Lestat supported  
her. Black thunderclouds gathered over the Labyrinth, reflecting  
Jareth's mood. At this rate, thought Jesse. There's going to be more  
blood spilled. It better not be mine.  
  
Jareth took a threatening step forward. "If one more person lays his  
hands, or teeth, on *my* intended they will not live to regret it."  
  
"Your *what*?" demanded Amethyst.  
  
"My intended," he informed her. "My fiancee, you."  
  
"Well excuse me *Dearest* but I don't recall hearing any proposal. I  
thought I was supposed to say yes at some point before you started  
announcing that I'm your property! At this point I'm not sure I want to  
be on the same planet as you never mind be your wife. You're never  
around and when you are I have to practically slap you in the face to  
get your attention and then you treat my like a child and dismiss me. You  
made me wear this stupid dress and talk to half a million boring people  
I've never even met before. Then when I finally find someone who'll  
actually pay me a little attention you practically rip his head off. And  
excuse me if bleeding to death on the ground isn't exactly my idea of a  
dream come true. If Louis hadn't pointed me out I'd probably have been dead  
before you even noticed anything was wrong. You're a self-absorbed,  
arrogant, self-absorbed, selfish... pig! And what's more... I'm leaving  
you."  
  
"You are not!"  
  
"I most certainly am."  
  
"No! I will not allow it."  
  
"What are you going to do? Tie me up?"  
  
At this point Jesse stepped between them. "That's quite enough. I  
think we all need to calm down a bit."  
  
"I am perfectly calm," snapped Jareth. At which everyone stared at  
him and Lestat burst out laughing. "Oh alright, alright, very funny." He  
sat down on the bench Lestat and Amethyst had vacated. "So what, in your  
infinite wisdom, do you suggest?" he asked her.  
  
"Well how about you let me get out of this damn dress and drink some  
fluids before I keel over?" suggested Amethyst in an unconciliatory tone.  
  
Jareth nodded and stood up, moving to escort her to her rooms, but  
she pulled away.  
  
"Don't touch me! Louis can help me."  
  
Jareth sighed mentally, at least she hadn't asked for Lestat. He knew  
he could trust Louis. He nodded his permission and Louis took her arm  
and took her through a side door that lead to the living quarters of the  
castle.  
  
Lestat and Jareth remained facing one another aggressively with  
Jesse half between them. She looked from one to the other. They really  
were very alike, no wonder Louis was so fond of Jareth. But Lestat had  
captured Louis' heart long before either of them met the Goblin King.  
She was rather excited at meeting him herself. This was one person the  
Talamasca had no files on. In fact in all the time the Talamasca had  
been around they had never discovered the existance of the Labyrinth. Of  
course now that she was here she could think of several files that had  
been unexplained that were probably related. But just now she had more  
immediate concerns, like preventing this from getting any worse. Just  
then a handsome young man came out into the garden. He coughed  
surreptitiously to get Jareth's attention.  
  
"My Lord?" he said nervously. He was obviously well aware of Jareth's  
quick temper. "Prince Arutha of Krondor and his family have arrived and  
await your pleasure."  
  
"Damn!" swore Jareth.  
  
Arutha? thought Jesse. Krondor? This is incredible. How can so many of  
these fantasy creations be reality? Surely all these books can't have been  
written under false names or by shadow writers or whatever. Her mind began  
to formulate a theory. Perhaps the act of creating the books and the number  
of minds reading them and partially believing as they read actually caused  
the stories to become true. Actually created worlds like the Labyrinth and  
Midkemia. Then she had another altogether more worrying thought. Did Lestat  
and Daniel really written the vampire books under the name of Anne Rice or  
did the writing of the books bring the vampires into being? Am I real or  
just a figment of an authors vivid imagination? She suddenly felt dizzy,  
like she used to when she was mortal and she stood up too fast. This is all  
too wierd.  
  
Lestat noticed her sudden weakness and moved to her side. 'Are you  
all right Jesse?'  
  
She leant on the proffered arm. 'Yes I'm fine. Just a slight crisis of  
reality.' she assured him. 'I won't let it bother me.'  
  
'Crisis of reality?'  
  
'Have you ever read any Raymond E Feist?'  
  
'Louis is the big reader Jesse, not me. I've never even heard of  
Raymond E Feist. What does he have to do with anything?'  
  
'He created Prince Arutha and the city of Krondor in his Riftwar  
books. I'm starting to get a very bad feeling about reality.'  
  
Lestat looked around and noticed Jareth had gone to meet with this  
Prince Arutha. 'Bugger reality,' he said. 'Let's go find Louis and the  
Lady Amethyst...'  
  
  
Louis had helped Amethyst clean up and was sitting on the bed with  
her as she slowly sipped a large glass of water. She wasn't entirely  
coherent yet, the blood loss was making her seem almost drunk. And that  
seemed to be exacerbating how upset she was. The term hysterical had  
crossed his mind though she seemed to have calmed down a little now.  
Trust Lestat to turn a perfectly normal party into a drama. Not that  
Jareth was entirely free from blame himself.  
  
Amethyst turned to him. "Should I leave him?"  
  
Louis heaved a sigh. This sort of thing wasn't his job, what did he  
know about relationships? Then he thought about himself and Lestat.  
Perhaps he was the person for the job.  
  
"I have known Jareth for years," he told her, "and I would be the  
first to admit that he his not the easiest person to live with. He is  
very like Lestat in that respect though he is far less impulsive. If you  
think you have problems you should try living with him!" Louis laughed  
though there was a faintly bitter edge to it.  
  
"But you do love him?"  
  
Louis smiled. "Yes, of course."  
  
"And he loves you?"  
  
The smile broadened though it became a little shy, "Yes."  
  
"Well then you have nothing to worry about. Jareth is too busy being  
King to worry about a little thing like love. And I won't spend my life  
running around like a pathetic lap dog trying to catch his attention  
every now again! Not knowing how unimportant to him I am."  
  
Louis stared into her eyes. "Is that really what you think? That he  
does not love you?" He thought back to what he had been like not so many  
years ago. So unwilling to believe Lestat really cared. So quick to  
take offense, so quick to turn away if he said one thing wrong.  
  
"Yes it is and he never will. I presume you're now going to try to tell  
me otherwise. Why should you know any better than I do?"  
  
"Because *I* can read his mind."  
  
She looked embarassed. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that." She looked up  
at him nervously. "Then you've looked? But how can he love me, I've only  
been here a week?"  
  
By this point Louis was revelling in his newfound role as advisor to  
the love-lorn. "Jareth has lived alone for a long time, too long. He is  
not used to having to accomodate another person into his life. Nor is he  
used to talking about how he feels. Give him time. And rest assured that  
he does love you, however unlikely it may seem. These things can happen in  
a moment or take a hundred years, there are no rules."  
  
Amethyst pulled him into a hug.  
  
"Well isn't this cosy," remarked Lestat. "Mind if I join you?" With  
out waiting for a reply he jumped up onto the bed with them and made him  
self comfortable.  
  
"Where's Jareth?" asked Amethyst.  
  
"Off hob-nobbing with royalty."  
  
"The Prince of Krondor," added Jesse watching carefully to see if  
there was a reaction. Louis raised a curious eyebrow and Amethyst did a  
double take. "I gather you've read the Riftwar Saga then?"  
  
"Yes," said Louis. "We must discuss this sometime Jesse." He had  
picked up her theory from her mind. "But not now."  
  
Lestat snuggled up behind Amethyst trying to sneak a hand under her  
robe before she noticed. "And how are you feeling Cherie?"  
  
"Fine," she said slapping his hand away with a brief thought of  
regret. He is sooo tempting. "And I see you've survived your encounter  
with Jareth just fine."  
  
"But of course." His hand began to sneak back.  
  
"Leave her be Lestat," said Louis.  
  
Lestat's eyes flashed with humour and in an instant he was over  
Amethyst and on top of Louis, pinning him to the bed. "Jealous mon  
Cher? Do not be, you know I only have eyes pour vous." He licked Louis  
cheek sensuously.  
  
Louis squirmed away from him in embarassment, "Lestat, really."  
  
Lestat winked at Amethyst. "He is such a tease."  
  
"I am not!"  
  
Jesse glided behind him and pinched his ass. "Your very existance is  
a tease Louis," she informed him.  
  
He glared at her, refusing to grace the comment with a reply.  
  
  
The three vampires remained with Amethyst until the ball was tailing  
off. Teasing one another and chatting about the Labyrinth and about their  
lives until Louis informed them Jareth was on his way up. Then they  
melted away into the night. When he arrived there was no sign of them.  
Amethyst sat on the edge of the bed dressed in a warm green robe, still  
a little pale, waiting for him.  
  
He looked around the room. "They are gone?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Are you... alright?"  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"I'm... sorry I didn't come up sooner. I can't risk offending people  
like Prince Arutha. His friendship is too..." He tailed off. "I'm sorry  
I've been ignoring you and I'm sorry about last night and I'm sorry I  
didn't tell you what to expect at the ball and I'm sorry I over-reacted  
to Lestat and I'm sorry you got hurt..." His voice got quieter as he knelt  
down in front of her and took her hands, "...and I'm sorry this isn't what  
you expected... that I'm not what you expected... and I understand if  
you... want to leave." He bowed his head and rested it on her knee while  
he waited for her to speak. He did mean it, however if she was who he  
thought she was he was in no danger of her leaving. All he needed was to  
have faith in his ability to read her.  
  
She untangled her hands from his and ran them through his hair,  
lifting his face. Then she slid down into his lap and buried her head  
against his shoulder. A few tears escaped her eyes and soaked into the  
fine fabric of his shirt. "I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Wrapping his arms around her he smiled in satisfaction at the same  
time as he breathed a sigh of relief. Gods' but this was nerve wrackingly  
enjoyable, like flying with a blindfold.  
  
\---------------  
  
Amethyst awoke to sunlight streaming through the curtains, she lay  
on her back on the bed still wearing the green robe. Jareth, still in  
his clothes from last night, lay half on top of her with his head buried  
against her neck. She felt incredibly thirsty and brought her hand up  
cautiously to touch her neck. It felt perfectly normal. She could still  
recall, with vivid detail, the pain and the sense of the sudden approach  
of death. So fast.  
She slid out of the bed carefully and fought dizziness on her way to  
the bathroom to get a drink of water. When she came back through Jareth  
was awake and sitting up on the bed looking remarkable perfect. Having  
seen herself in the bathroom mirror she knew she was not so fortunate,  
she was paler than she had ever been, her eyes looked sunken and her hair  
was a disaster. Oh God, she thought. My kingdom for a hairbrush, or at  
least a bag to put over my head. He was looking at her with that  
thoughtful, unscrutable look that turned her knees and her brain to jelly.  
She gathered her brain cells together and unfroze her legs, going  
back to the bed and the hairbrush that sat on the bedside table glowing  
with golden promise. She sat down facing away and started to fix her hair  
only to have him move behind her and take the brush out of her  
unresisting hand. He ran his hands down her arms, pressing them to her  
sides, and folded her hands together in the small of her back before  
brushing her hair out himself. She felt as frozen as if she were bound,  
as if it would all vanish if she moved. He worked his way from the tips  
until her hair lay in a smooth gleaming mass down her back, then he put  
the brush down and drew it back letting it fall through his fingers. He  
lifted it up and ran his fingers over the nape of her neck, leant foward  
and kissed her, letting her hair fall back down over his face. His left  
hand ran down her back to capture her wrists, holding them together behind  
her back as he leant closer into her kissing around her neck. Resting his  
head on her shoulder he spoke softly.  
  
"Tell me. I have hardly been attentive this past week, but do you  
consider your behaviour to have been appropriate in a guest?"  
  
There were unexpected daggers in his voice, his words so incongruous  
to the hand that rested on her thigh. Words failed her.  
  
"Nothing to say for yourself?"  
  
"I... I may have been... I may have assumed... a little too much,"  
she managed in her confusion.  
  
"I see." He leaned back, the only contact between them his hand on  
her wrists. His touch was light but she did not imagine for a minute that  
it would not tighten if she moved. "Dangerous things, assumptions." His  
grip did tighten now. "They can get you into a lot of trouble."  
  
She felt... exhilarated? Terrified, but still the thrills of pleasure  
at his touch ran through her body. She didn't understand what game it was  
he played with her. She hated him for not exlaining the rules and yet...  
  
He let go of her hands, she didn't move. He smiled in appreciation  
and reached around to carefully untie her robe. Kneeling behind her he  
slid it off her shoulders until it sat around her waist. Then he sat  
back again and studied her from behind, her hands were hidden by the robe.  
Eventually he leant forward and ran his fingers down her spine, she  
rocked slightly at the arrival of the unseen touch but otherwise remained  
still. Waiting to find out what he would do next. He slid his hands down  
her sides and under the robe, running down the outside of her thighs until  
she sat naked on the displaced green material. He had a sudden urge to  
see her face.  
  
He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared at the wall which  
shimmered and formed a mirror directly opposite them. "Tell me," he said,  
addressing her face in the mirror. She sat drinking in the picture they  
made in the reflecting glass, her expression told him everything he needed  
to know. He ran the tips of his fingers up and down her arms while  
watching her. "Why you are here." His face told her this was not a  
question in search of knowledge but in search of a very specific  
response.  
  
She only had one answer. "Because of you." It was the truth, he was  
the only reason she would choose here over any other magical kingdom in  
the realm of possibility. She felt a fool at her own desires. So  
far from rational thought, so insistent.  
  
"Because of me," he repeated. "But tell me why," he insisted. "Tell  
me what it is that you need. What it is that I can give you."  
  
"I..." she faltered. She knew the answer instantly although the  
thought of it had never crossed her mind before. So many fairy tales of  
happy endings and romance, how could she say this. How could she want  
this of all things.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"I need to... to belong to... to you."  
  
He smiled. "Then say it."  
  
"I .... I belong to you." It came out in a rush and then she hid her  
face in her hands.  
  
He gathered her hair gently from her face and pulled her head back  
up by it. "That scares you."  
  
"Yes," she whispered her assent. "But I want it, I want it so much."  
  
"Good," he said, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "It should  
scare you." He turned her head so he was looking at her and not her  
reflection. "I can give you everything that you want, all you have to do  
is love me." He kissed her. "And fear me." He kissed her again. "And do  
everything that I say."  
  
Her wild eyes stared back at him, more terrified by herself than of  
him. He smiled at her. "Or sometimes anyway."  
  
She couldn't help but return his smile. "Not all the time?"  
  
"I have a hundred slaves here, do you think I need one more?" he said  
with a laugh. His serious expression gone with the moment. When he looked  
at her she thought she could see the love Louis had insisted was there.  
"We are a pair you and I, we are well suited. And I look forward to  
showing you the full extent of our compatability... but not today. There  
is much you do not yet know about yourself and far be it for me to push  
you further than you are ready to go." But we will get there, he thought.  
In time.  
  
This time when he kissed her she knew there would be no more  
discussion. He pressed her back onto the bed, raising her hands over her  
head and holding them there with one hand while his other hand roamed  
across her body. She closed her eyes and sank into his touch.  
  
  
(c) Marysia , 1998  
  
  
I think I should leave it there, though god knows I'd love to just keep  
on writing detail by detail. But I don't think it would do the story any  
good and lord knows these things work better in your head. Some  
sensations are only made less by expressing them in words. Let's just say  
it was real good and I have no doubt I'll get more explicit in future  
stories.  
  



End file.
